The present invention relates to amphoteric surfactants and more particularly to a novel class of amphoteric surfactants which are compatible with high levels of caustic.
In a variety of cleaning and other chemical uses, use of strong basic aqueous solutions is required. Since many of these cleaning and other chemical uses also require the basic solution to exhibit surfactancy, a need exists for surface active agents or surfactants which exhibit their surface active properties when contained in strongly basic aqueous solutions.
As an additional property, such surfactants in a strongly basic alkaline solution should display very low to moderate foaming characteristics. Thus, an unusual combination of constraints are placed upon a surfactant in order to satisfy such criteria.